The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinct cultivar of southern highbush blueberry plant botanically known as a Vaccinium corymbosum L and herein referred to as ‘TH-906’, as herein described and illustrated.
The new blueberry plant variety ‘TH-906’ was first identified growing in a cultivated area at the Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin, Ga. in 2005. The new variety ‘TH-906’ is early to mid-season, ripening after the early commercial variety ‘Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675) in south and middle Georgia, but before ‘Camellia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,151). The fruit of the new variety ‘TH-906’ has medium to large berries, with good scar and good flavor as compared to ‘Star’ and ‘Camellia’. The new variety ‘TH-906’ is vigorous with an estimated chilling requirement of about 550 hours below 45° F. when produced under typical low to mid chill production regions. Pedigree and history: ‘TH-906’ was selected in 2005 at the Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin, Ga., originating from a cross of ‘TH-653’×‘Millennia’ made by Dr. Scott NeSmith in 2002. The female parent ‘TH-653’ is a non-patented breeding line. The male parent ‘Millennia’ is the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,816. ‘TH-906’ was first asexually propagated in 2005 in Griffin, Ga. by softwood cuttings. Asexually propagated ‘TH-906’ plants, propagated by softwood cuttings, have been observed growing in Griffin, Ga. and in Alapaha, Ga. The new blueberry plant variety ‘TH-906’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by softwood cuttings in Alapaha, Ga. and Griffith, Ga.
The selection has been tested in plantings at Alapaha and Griffin, Ga. established in 2007.